Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 while respectively show a plan view and a side view of a conventional assembly of the above-described type when in its non-operational mode, reference numeral 1 denotes a transducer for conducting a non-contact read/write operations, numeral 2 denotes a flexible member adhered to the transducer 1, numeral 3 denotes a load beam supporting the flexible member 2, and numeral 4 denotes a mounting block for securing the load beam 3. The transducer 1 is placed on a stationary magnetic disk (medium) with a certain amount of load applied by the load beam 3 via a centrally located dimple of the member 2 attached to the transducer 1.
In operation, during initial rotation of the medium, a frictional force occurs between the medium and the transducer 1, which causes elastic deformation of the flexible member 2 which supports the transducer 1 in opposition to the frictional force. Once rotation of the medium has attained sufficient speed, the transducer 1 is caused to take off from the disk and then floats on an air layer over the recording surface of the medium. The transducer 1 floats in a stable manner due to the function of the member 2. While floating on the cushion of air, the transducer is subjected by the load beam 3 to a certain load via the dimple and performs non-contact magnetic retrieval and recording of data with a constant distance being kept between the transducer and the medium.
The conventional magnetic head assembly described above requires that the frictional force between the transducer and the medium be restricted to as low a level as possible. Any frictional force above a certain level would cause permanent deformation of the flexible member 2 or damage the surface of the medium due to it being hit by the transducer with considerable impact.